There are 26 heritage sites of China's world irrigation projects, which benefit one party and benefit future generations——
Thousands of years of water control wisdom
After the rain, it was clear and misty.
On June 14, the Ziquejie terraced fields in Xinhua County, Hunan Province were soaked with water, like mirrors, reflecting busy figures one by one.
Feng Yuhui, a villager in Ziquejie Village, Shuiche Town, rushed to the terraced fields early in the morning, busy planting rice.
Feng Yuhui has cultivated here for generations. He told reporters that the terraced fields in Ziquejie are an artesian irrigation project. There is no need to dig mountain ponds or build reservoirs.
With its ingenious design, the Ziquejie terraces have been included in the World Irrigation Engineering Heritage List.
Irrigation is of great significance to the development of human civilization.
Since 2014, the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage has started to select the heritage of irrigation works around the world.
China is a country with an ancient irrigation civilization, and a country with the most abundant types of irrigation engineering heritage, the widest distribution, and the most outstanding irrigation benefits.
At present, there are 26 Chinese projects on the World Heritage List of Irrigation Projects.
June 11 this year is China's "Cultural and Natural Heritage Day".
Recently, people have approached the heritage of irrigation projects, listened to irrigation stories, and felt the charm of irrigation culture.
Fusion of nature and engineering -
"The wisdom of the ancients is amazing"
The World Irrigation Engineering Heritage Condenses the wisdom of the ancients and shines with the light of civilization.
A large number of irrigation projects have withstood the test of history. Instead of becoming ruins in the afterglow of the west wind, they continued to store floods and prevent drought and moisten the earth, becoming a model for the integration of nature and engineering.
Going down to the fields with bare feet, bending over to plant rice... In the terraced fields, Feng Yuhui repeated the actions of his ancestors.
The water in this terraced field has been flowing for more than 2,000 years.
According to textual research, the terraced fields of Ziquejie originated in the pre-Qin Dynasty and flourished in the Song and Ming Dynasties.
The terraced fields are distributed in the foothills at an altitude of 500-1200 meters, with a total area of 6,416 hectares and a total of more than 500 levels, which are magnificent.
There are no ponds and reservoirs in the terraced fields, and a pure natural artesian irrigation project is constructed with the unique pore water source of bedrock fissures.
The terraced fields in the mountains are connected by numerous irrigation water systems. Each terraced field is both a reservoir and a soil-preserving bed, which not only ensures the irrigation of rice, but also prevents soil erosion.
"The terraced fields in the Purple Magpie World are built on the basis of the mountains. They are as small as a plate, as big as a basin, as long as a belt, as curved as a moon, in various shapes and in a thousand changes, just like a jade pool in the sky, a fairyland on earth." This is a compulsory textbook for high school in the Hunan Education Edition , a description of the terraced fields of Ziquejie.
Today's Ziquejie terraces still nurture 16 villages and more than 10,000 villagers, who still retain their traditional production and way of life.
"The terraced fields are flood-resistant and drought-resistant. The wisdom of the ancients is admirable." Feng Yuhui said.
However, traditional planting methods are less effective after all, and farmers' enthusiasm for farming is affected, and some fields are abandoned.
In order to keep the fields for the villagers and the scenery for tourists, since 2016, Xinhua County has provided subsidies to grain growers, and Shuiche Town has guided farmers to establish cooperatives and farms.
The government, enterprises, and growers have worked together to achieve win-win development and reverse the situation of land losses.
Feng Yuhui responded to the call and mobilized the young people in the village and the elderly who were able to work to set up a cooperative.
When the terraced fields are well planted, large and beautiful, tourism in the purple magpie world has also developed.
Feng Yuhui said that Ziquejie used to be a poor mountain ditch, but now it is a 4A-level scenic spot.
This year, the theme event of "Cultural and Natural Heritage Day" in Hunan Province was held in Xinhua County.
Researchers from Central South University of Forestry and Technology gave a speech on the protection of Ziquejie terraces, and the theme activities were broadcast live online simultaneously.
The terraced fields of Ziquejie are hailed by international water conservancy experts as "the miracle of the world's water conservancy irrigation project".
1000 kilometers away, another wonder of the world's irrigation engineering is also a perfect fusion of nature and engineering.
The rolling waters of the Minjiang River, carrying the sand and gravel waves, rolled and roared all the way, rushing out of the mountains.
However, when it hit the middle stream, it suddenly stopped, gently poured into the Chengdu Plain, and gurgled away towards the fertile and fertile fields.
It was Dujiangyan who "conquered" this manic river.
The Dujiangyan Canal Head Project is located in Dujiangyan City, Sichuan Province.
Tourists enter the Dujiangyan Scenic Area, and after looking around, they find that neither the dam nor the wide water surface is seen. The famous Dujiangyan is somewhat "low-key".
This is precisely the greatness of Dujiangyan, which is the oldest and the only remaining dam-free irrigation project in the world.
Dujiangyan was built in the Warring States Period.
In 256 BC, Li Bing, the governor of Shu County, built the Dujiangyan Water Conservancy Project. By constructing fish mouths and digging the mouth of a bottle, the Minjiang River water was introduced into the hinterland of the plain for flood control, shipping and irrigation. Become a fertile "land of abundance".
In 662 AD, Feishayan was completed, marking the formation of the layout of the three main projects of Dujiangyan Canal Head.
During the Tang and Song Dynasties, the irrigation area of Dujiangyan gradually expanded.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Dujiangyan Water Conservancy Project has been renovated on a large scale, and the irrigation area has grown to 10.65 million mu in 38 counties in 7 cities.
The scientific nature of Dujiangyan Water Conservancy Project is praised by the world.
"Deep scouring the beach, make low weirs", "divide into four or six parts, smooth the drought", "take advantage of the situation and adapt to the times"... These concepts of water control passed down through the ages were obtained by the unremitting pursuit of the predecessors, even if they are placed today, they are extremely valuable.
After more than 2,000 years of hard work, the huge benefits of Dujiangyan have continued to this day.
In recent years, the Dujiangyan water conservancy project system has been continuously improved, and the heritage of this ancient irrigation project has been increasingly rejuvenated.
In the hinterland of the Sichuan Basin, the hilly area of the watershed on both sides of the Tuojiang River and the Fujiang River has a terrain like the back of a fish.
"Look, the water is coming!" On July 6, 2021, in Lezhi County, Sichuan Province, 87-year-old Wang Longying stood by the "Tianhe" with a cane, excited.
Above his head, the water of the Pi River flows slowly.
On the same day, the first phase of the Pihe Water Supply Project was opened to "quench their thirst" for nearly 2.25 million people in central Sichuan.
The Pihe River is one of the main diversion canals of Dujiangyan, and the Pihe Water Supply Project is an important part of the Dujiangyan Water Conservancy Project.
Today, an artificial river with a length of more than 150 kilometers runs across the middle of Sichuan and flows in parallel with the Tuojiang River.
Part of the aqueduct crosses over the city and is called "Tianhe" by the people.
At present, the second phase of the Pihe Water Supply Project is being accelerated.
The World Irrigation Engineering Heritage carries thousands of years of civilization and wisdom, benefiting one party and benefiting future generations.
Tongji Weir, located in Lishui City, Zhejiang Province, has a history of 1,500 years and has irrigated the Bihu Plain so far, making it an important grain-producing area in southwestern Zhejiang; Ten thousand acres of farmland...
Overall protection and utilization——
"The ancient village in memory is back"
In recent years, all localities have coordinated the protection and utilization of irrigation engineering heritage, so that the irrigation engineering heritage will bloom with new brilliance in the new era.
Lugang, an ancient and unique water conservancy project in Taihu Lake area.
2,500 years ago, ancestors dug Lugang, built canals, and built polders on the Taihu Lake wetland.
Overlooking from the air, the water network of Lugang is vertical and horizontal, like a chessboard.
Lugang is a great creation of the ancient working people in the Taihu Lake Basin. It conforms to nature, diverts water in both directions, and harnesses water to attack sand, making the tidal flat into fertile soil, creating a grand scene of "a land of fish and rice, a network of water, and thousands of mulberry trees on both sides of the river".
Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province is the only area where Lugang is completely preserved.
Yigao Village, Wuxing District, Huzhou City, located on the bank of Taihu Lake, is located at an important node of the Lugang system and is known as the "Pearl of the Lugang Cultural Belt".
In the early morning of summer, Hu Gencai, a 79-year-old villager in Yigao Village, began to pace along the river. The blue sky and green water, the pink walls and black tiles, and the mottled ancient bridges all evoke memories of the old man.
Hu Gencai told reporters that the "Pearl" of Yigao Village has also experienced a period of bleakness.
"Many monuments have been destroyed, and the river in the village once became a stinky ditch..." Hu Gencai said, "Eight years ago, the ancient village in my memory came back."
In 2014, Yigao Village was included in the List of Traditional Chinese Villages and a key village for protection and utilization of historical and cultural villages in Zhejiang Province, and the ancient bridges, ancient roads and ancient houses were restored.
In November 2016, Taihu Lugang was included in the World Heritage List of Irrigation Engineering.
Today, there are special regulations for the protection of Lugang.
From June 20, the "Regulations on the Protection of the World Irrigation Engineering Heritage of Taihu Lake Lugang in Huzhou City" (hereinafter referred to as the "Regulations") came into effect.
The "Regulations" states that "unauthorized occupation, landfill, blockage, and excavation of Lugang, Hengtang, and Huyang" shall not be allowed, and "residential, commercial, office, and factory buildings shall not be built in core protected areas."
Talking about the "Regulations", Hu Gen was very excited, and the speed of his speech became faster.
He said that during the formulation of the "Regulations", "I also asked for my opinion! As long as it is about protecting Lugang, our villagers support it."
The villagers of Yigao Village understand that protecting Lugang means protecting their own good life.
Every holiday, the old farm houses are lively everywhere.
"People from the surrounding cities come to Yigao Village whenever they have time. Sitting by the river, watching the scenery of the ancient village, drinking tea and singing, it is very comfortable." Hu Gencai said.
Today, the villagers are looking forward to the restoration and protection of Wuhu Academy and other historical sites in Lugang, so that the water veins and homesickness can be preserved.
On the land of China, more and more irrigation engineering heritage is alive and beautiful.
In summer, Lingqu, located in Xing'an County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is lined with green trees and rippling blue waves.
Several cruise ships skimmed the water gently, passed under the stone bridge, and sailed into the distance.
Lingqu with a history of more than 2000 years, once stopped shipping.
In recent years, after a series of efforts, the Lingqu canal has been resumed, and the millennium historic site has ushered in recovery.
The Ling Canal was built in 214 BC, connecting the source of the Xiang River and the Li River. It is a cross-basin water conservancy project connecting the Yangtze River Basin and the Pearl River Basin. It has both water transportation and irrigation benefits. It is one of the most famous water conservancy projects in ancient China.
However, with the passage of time, things have changed and things have changed. Since the opening of the Hunan-Guangxi Railway in the 1940s, the transportation function of Ling Canal has gradually weakened.
By the 1960s, Lingqu shipping was completely stopped.
In the 21st century, water conservancy experts proposed after careful investigation that Lingqu should be "lived" again.
After repairs and renovations, Lingqu officially resumed sailing in January 2018.
In the same year, Lingqu was included in the World Heritage List of Irrigation Engineering.
The successful declaration of the World Irrigation Project Heritage has set a new starting point for the protection of Lingqu Canal.
In March this year, the Lingqu dredging project was completed as scheduled, optimizing and improving the Lingqu water environment.
The Sanli Bridge with a history of more than 500 years spans the Lingqu Canal.
Recently, the bridge deck has partially collapsed. Xing'an County promptly organized on-site surveys by cultural protection experts and bridge experts, and properly repaired the collapsed site.
The development and utilization of the World Irrigation Engineering Heritage is premised on protection.
In 2018, the Central No. 1 document clearly stated that the heritage of irrigation projects should be protected.
The No. 1 Central Document in 2022 proposes to promote the protection and utilization of intangible cultural heritage and important agricultural cultural heritage.
Through the water veins and contexts——
"Let the traditional culture be passed on"
The heritage of irrigation works not only irrigates a harvest year, but also irrigates a splendid culture.
June 3, Dragon Boat Festival.
In Sangyuanwei, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, a dragon boat race kicked off.
The helmsman controls the direction, the drummer directs the rhythm, and the rower vigorously shakes the paddle... Mulberry Garden is densely surrounded by water nets, providing excellent conditions for dragon boat races and giving birth to cultural activities such as dragon boat racing.
Guan Ruilin, a 51-year-old dragon boat player, used to watch dragon boat races with his parents when he was a child.
"I have changed from a spectator back then to a player today. This is my dragon boat love. We want to pass on the traditional culture." Guan Ruiling said.
Mulberry Garden Wai, named after the planting of large mulberry trees.
In 2020, Sangyuanwei was included in the World Heritage List of Irrigation Projects.
This Lingnan Water Conservancy Project with a history of more than 900 years stands under the global spotlight and tells its story to the world.
Sangyuanwei was built during the reign of Emperor Huizong of the Northern Song Dynasty.
The locals irrigated and drained through dikes, rivers and sluices, developed depressions and river beaches, transformed ponds to raise fish, and planted mulberries and silkworms by the ponds.
In this way, silkworm sand feeds fish, pond mud fertilizes mulberry, and a virtuous ecological cycle is formed.
The construction of the Sangyuanwei Water Conservancy Project started the history of large-scale agricultural development in the Pearl River Delta region.
Climb to Xiqiao Mountain, Nanhai District, Foshan City, and look around, you can see the magnificent picture of Sangyuanwei: With Xiqiao Mountain as the center, Xijiang and Beijiang are one south and one north, wrapping an olive-shaped river network and scattered village houses. This is the core area of Sangyuanwei.
A series of cultures such as dragon boat culture, lion awakening culture, and academy culture thrive here.
Sangyuanwei dragon boat racing was popular in the Qing Dynasty.
There are many large sluice gates in Sangyuan Wai, and on the day of the dragon boat race, the sluice gate area became a lively viewing platform.
Before the start of the race, players from all over the country parked their dragon boats on the banks of the river embankment not far from the gate, lining up.
At the beginning of the game, a group of "dragons" competed and rushed to the gate first, forming a spectacular scene of thousands of "dragons" racing.
Recently, Nanhai District released the water vein planning of Sangyuan Wai, involving 58 kilometers of water veins and a planned area of 16.29 square kilometers.
According to the plan, the Sangyuan Wai water vein will realize the integrated development of ecology and humanities, and become the green vein of ecological civilization and the cultural vein of the inheritance and innovation of Lingnan culture.
Irrigation projects and culture go hand in hand, and characteristic irrigation projects give birth to characteristic culture.
The dam holds water for thousands of miles, and the dragon cares for thousands of acres of fields.
Longshou Canal Yinluo Ancient Irrigation Area is located in Weinan City, Shaanxi Province. It is located in the lower reaches of the Beiluo River, a secondary tributary of the Yellow River, and the terrace of the Weiluo River in the Qindong Plain. It is one of the important birthplaces of Chinese civilization.
In 120 BC, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty adopted the suggestion of Xiong Zhuang, the governor of Linjin County, and ordered the construction of the Longshou Canal.
The Longshou Canal Yinluo Ancient Irrigation Area reflects the fusion of the Dragon culture and the Han culture.
Around Longshouba, "Dragon elements" such as Longtan, Longdong and Longwang Temple can be seen everywhere; Longquan, Longpan, Longchi, Longqu and other villages are all over the irrigation area.
Walking along the canal, villages and sites such as Wudi Temple, Handi Village, Western Han Village, Donghan Village, and Zhonghan Village tell the vicissitudes of the past more than two thousand years.
The Luhe Irrigation Area is located in the northwest of Jiangxi Province, spanning Fengxin County, Jing'an County and Anyi County, and belongs to the Luhe River Basin, a tributary of the Xiuhe River.
The irrigation area project was built in the Taihe period of the Tang Dynasty. The ancients built Pupi in the lower reaches of the Henan branch of Beiluo, opened canals to guide water, and irrigated more than 1,000 acres of farmland.
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Wushitan Pi and Xiangpi were built.
Today's Liaohe Irrigation Area has 336,000 mu of irrigated farmland, benefiting a population of 260,000. It is an important granary in northwestern Jiangxi.
In order to excavate the excellent water conservancy and cultural heritage, the Liaohe Engineering Administration has built the Wushitanpi Cultural Park, and also built the Liaohe Irrigation District Cultural Exhibition Hall in Xiangpi.
Entering the cultural exhibition hall of the Liaohe Irrigation District, you will see the thousand-year-old scenery gathered in one place. The exhibition hall takes "Millennium Irrigation Canal and Eternal Flow" as its theme, and uses pictures, videos, physical objects, sand table simulation and other means to interpret the culture of the Liaohe Irrigation District from multiple angles. Connotation, showing a thousand-year-old irrigation area with a long history and a link between the past and the future.
Pan Xutao